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Education for Peace is a central tenet of Montessori philosophy. It is implicit in the Montessori Culture curriculum through the study of the universe, the world and its inhabitants, civilizations and cultures. 

Peace is cultivated in the school’s classrooms on a daily basis through learning and practice of hands-on peace-making skills, exercises in mindfulness, and intellectual academic activities that lead to a greater understanding of peace. Lessons in Grace and Courtesy, use of the Peace Table in Children’s House for 3-6 year-olds, and Conflict Resolution in Elementary for grades 1-6, provide tangible ways for children to practice peace among themselves under the guidance and modeling of caring adults. This is why we call TMS children “Ambassadors of Peace” when they go out into larger communities beyond TMS. 

The creation and display of the Peace Flags came as a brainstorm to our new Parent Engagement volunteer, Laura Zhu, who elaborated on her idea, “In light of the pandemic, we were struggling to find connection with other students and families without physically gathering in one place. When the school was unable to sing as a community for the International Day of Peace in September, as they usually do, I realized that we could symbolically ‘sing’ together by stringing together physical messages of peace, love, and unity outside the school. Every student--from 18 months old up to 6th graders--was given a colorful fabric square, as were staff members, and asked to decorate it in whatever way they pleased in accordance with that theme. I was blown away by the creativity and diversity of designs they came up with! We hope that others can enjoy our calls for peace and compassion in these difficult times, as well as appreciate the beauty of our students' and staff members' heartfelt work.” Laura summed up her vision by saying, “A single flag may be lovely, but when we all join together, the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts.”